Short takes for Sept. 10

September 10, 2010

THUMBS?DOWN: First the Rev. Terry Jones of Florida said he would reconsider burning the Quran if God told him not to. Then he said a call from President Obama might do the trick. This gentleman is losing his credibility by the hour but he's managed to grasp the attention - hopefully the 15-minute variety - of an entire nation. Jones has faced mounting pressure to call off the bonfire and said he has received more than 100 death threats since he made the announcement that he would stage "International Burn-A-Koran Day, proving without a doubt that hate begets hate, even in America where we pride ourselves on tolerance. Jones has the Constitutional right to carry through this hateful act, but it's pretty clear a big part of his mission is to grab the spotlight and get noticed. There are, however, much better ways to garner attention. Simple acts of kindness might not get you national fame, but blatant acts of hate are definitely not a good alternative. Conservative radio and television host Glenn Beck wrote in an Internet blog that burning the Quran is akin to burning the flag or the Bible - something people can do in the United States, but shouldn't. He's right. Unfortunately, some people just don't know any better.

9/11 observance in Marshall

THUMBS?UP: The Marshall Fire Department is planning a special observance Saturday to honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The fire department will drape a large American flag on a ladder truck at Memorial Park in downtown Marshall and sirens will go off at 8:46 a.m., 10:06 a.m., 10:28 a.m. and 11:26 a.m. to commemorate the times when airplanes struck the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa. Fittingly, the event will take place at Memorial Park, which will soon be home to a special centerpiece - a steel beam from one of the towers. We strongly encourage anyone who can make it to the park to attend this event to do so.